Lionel Messi was fearful ahead of his return to action for Argentina at the Copa America.

Messi sat out Argentina's win over Peru in the group stage, but despite Lionel Scaloni saying the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner was a doubt to feature against Ecuador in the quarters, he started on Thursday.

The 37-year-old had just 32 touches in a 1-1 draw, marking his fewest touches in a competitive match for his country in which he has played 90 minutes since 2011.

Messi subsequently missed his penalty in the shootout, but goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez spared his blushes in a 4-2 victory for the defending Copa America champions.

When asked how he had been feeling ahead of the tie, Messi told reporters (via The Athletic): "The truth is bad.

"With a lot of uncertainty, with lots of fear when I was training, a lot of desire to be here and doing everything possible to be able to play.

"I was able to be here and [help] the team."

Messi explained it was no surprise to Argentina that they faced such a stern challenge from Ecuador.

"The truth is it was a difficult match, which was very hard to play," Messi added.

"We knew it was going to be that way because they’re a great team, a hard team who press well, who have intense, dynamic players, and when they have the ball they do damage as well.

"We expected this kind of game."

Argentina have now extended their unbeaten streak against Ecuador to 17 matches at the Copa America (W11 D6). This is the third longest unbeaten run for La Albiceleste against a single opponent in the competition, following a 30-match run against Chile (W22 D8, excluding penalty shootouts) and 26 against Paraguay (W20 D6).

Messi and Co. will face either Canada or Venezuela in the last four.

Carlos Alcaraz survived a major scare as the defending champion won a five-set thriller against Frances Tiafoe to reach the last 16 at Wimbledon.

Tiafoe came into Friday's third-round match on Centre Court with low expectations due to what has been a difficult 2024 so far, but he won the first and third sets, before coming within a tie-break of causing a huge upset.

Alcaraz ultimately prevailed 5-7 6-2 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-2 in just under four hours to book a fourth-round meeting with either Brandon Nakashima or Ugo Humbert.

There were few signs of the drama that would follow when Alcaraz broke to take a first-set lead, but Tiafoe – who shocked Rafael Nadal at the US Open in 2022 – fought back with two breaks of his own to claim the opener and threaten another grand slam scalp.

A superb backhand winner clinched a comfortable second set for Alcaraz, but 29th seed Tiafoe produced an extremely impressive response, rallying the crowd when he confidently moved 2-1 in front having barely been troubled on serve in the third.

There were no break opportunities for either player in a keenly contested fourth set, but, with the pressure firmly on, Alcaraz produced a brilliant tie-break to send the contest into a decider, then taking his turn to celebrate with the fans.

The Spaniard made a crucial early breakthrough in game three and Tiafoe soon began to realise his opportunity had gone when Alcaraz consolidated his lead with a second break. He sealed the victory with a beautiful drop shot, with his relief and joy clear to see after getting over the line.

Data Debrief: Ten in a row for Carlos

Alcaraz is becoming a consistent grass-court performer and has now made the last 16 or better at Wimbledon for three consecutive tournaments, a run which includes his triumph last year.

The victory also means he has won 10 straight Wimbledon matches, with this surely being one of the toughest in that sequence. 

Having also achieved that feat at the US Open, he is the third-youngest player to do so at both of those majors, with only Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander doing so at a younger age.

Despite a difficult afternoon on Centre Court, Alcaraz still racked up some impressive numbers, finishing with 16 aces and 55 winners.

After two long days without any Euro 2024 action, the quarter-finals got going on Friday.

There were two mouthwatering ties on offer as Spain played Germany, while Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo went head-to-head for France and Portugal.

And what about the action online?

Here is the best of the social media posts from Thursday and Friday at Euro 2024.

New look?

The hosts have already caught the eye with their performances en route to the quarter-final.

And now, Robert Andrich has caught attention with a bold new style, possibly inspired by Germany's away kit at the tournament. 

Ultimately, Andrich did not get a chance to debut his new look from the start of Germany's clash with Spain, as he was named on the bench.

Walker the cheerleader

Before starting training for the day, Kyle Walker took some time to check in on how the goalkeepers were preparing for England's tie against Switzerland.

John Stones tagged along with his Manchester City team-mate, and almost got themselves into trouble after getting a little too invested in the session. 

Spanish goalkeepers put to the test

Things can get a little hectic in the penalty area during set-pieces with both teams desperate to get on the ball.

Spain have figured out an impressive way to give their goalkeepers an in-game experience during training.

Although, some of those shirt tugs would likely catch the referee's attention...

The Portuguese take over Hamburg

The Portuguese fans were out in full force before their round of 16 penalty shootout victory in Frankfurt.

They have now taken to the streets in Hamburg, with the hopes that their side can recreate the magic of the Euro 2016 final, when they beat France 1-0 to lift the trophy.

Back to their roots

France's squad is full of household names, with their players spanning the globe for their various clubs.

In a special photo shoot, they instead looked back to their beginnings, each donning the shirt of their first-ever club, and they gave a glimpse behind the scenes to see how it all came together.

The competition heats up

The Netherlands produced their best performance so far at Euro 2024 on Tuesday when they booked a place in the quarter-final with a 3-0 victory over Romania.

And their competitive spirit stretches past the pitch and into the game room at their training base.

While Nathan Ake showed off his interesting technique for a new high score, tensions were on the rise at the ping-pong table.

Thomas Christiansen is challenging Panama to keep springing surprises at the Copa America when they face off against Colombia in the quarter-finals.

After losing their opening game of the tournament 3-1 to free-scoring Uruguay, Panama dug in to cause an upset for host nation United States, coming from behind to win 2-1.

A comfortable 3-1 victory over Bolivia followed secured second place in Group C as Panama booked their place in the knockout round of the Copa America for the very first time.

Former Leeds United boss Christiansen challenged his team to be the surprise package, but says this result is years in the making.

"When we were going to leave for the United States, I said I would like to be the surprise [of the tournament], like Morocco in the [2022] World Cup [who made it to the semi-finals]," he told reporters.

"Well, now we're through to the next round. I am happy. Super happy.

"It's constant, really, what we have been doing, what we have been reaping in these almost four years.

"[Is it a] coincidence? I don't believe in coincidences. You have to work. You have to fight for it. Luck alone isn't enough."

Colombia were the winners of Group D, beating Brazil to top spot.

Wins over Paraguay and Costa Rica put Colombia in the driving seat before they held Dorival Junior's side to a 1-1 draw in the final match.

While that may be a surprising outcome on the face of it, Colombia are the form team in South America and are on a 26-game unbeaten streak.

Integral to their success has been James Rodriguez, who is often their talisman at major tournaments, having first come into the spotlight in the 2014 World Cup.

"I feel comfortable, there is still a long way to go, we still have to play on Saturday, but I felt good," the ex-Real Madrid star said.

"I am going through a good phase here; we are going step by step. Panama will be difficult, but we will play with a lot of quality."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Colombia – James Rodriguez

James has been a driving force for Colombia at the tournament, having already recorded three assists.

Colombia had the best crossing accuracy at the Copa America group stage, completing 41% of their crosses (20/49). James was responsible for 11 of their successful crosses – the most of any player in the tournament.

Panama – Jose Fajardo

Out of players who attempted more than five shots in the Copa America group stage, Jose Fajardo boasts the second-highest shot conversion rate.

He scored with 29% of his attempts (2/7), bettered only by Argentina's Lautaro Martinez (44%), who is the tournament's leading scorer.

MATCH PREDICTION: COLOMBIA WIN

Colombia stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 26 matches with their draw against Brazil, and the Opta computer has backed them to continue that here.

Colombia are playing in their sixth consecutive Copa America quarter-final, with each of their last four going to penalties. Los Cafeteros have won twice (against Peru in 2016 and Uruguay in 2021) and lost twice (against Argentina in 2015 and Chile in 2019).

Panama have won four of their seven competitive matches in the 21st century against opponents from CONMEBOL (losing the other three).

Two of those victories were against Colombia when they faced each other in the group stage (1-0) and the semifinals (3-2) of the 2005 Concacaf Gold Cup.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Colombia – 61.6%

Draw – 19.6%

Panama – 18.8%

Jan Vertonghen has confirmed his retirement from international football.

The 37-year-old ends his Belgium career as the nation's most-capped player.

Vertonghen, who made his Belgium debut in 2007, made 157 appearances for his country.

He helped the Red Devils reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, a quarter-final at Euro 2020, and also played at the World Cup in Qatar.

The former Tottenham defender's final four appearances came at Euro 2024, as Belgium reached the last 16 – they were knocked out by France on Monday.

Vertonghen is a free agent ahead of the 2024-25 season, with his contract at Anderlecht having expired.

New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is aware he has "big shoes to fill" as he kick-starts the post-Jurgen Klopp era at Anfield.

Klopp called time on his nine-year stint as Liverpool manager at the end of last season.

The Reds enjoyed a period of great success under the German, whose trophy haul at the club included the Champions League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and Premier League.

And Slot knows there is pressure on him to deliver.

"When [Klopp] arrived he said he was the normal one but what made him special is the impression he left behind," former Feyenoord boss Slot said at a press conference on Friday.

"Yeah, there are big shoes to fill, but you can also look at it in a way that you inherited a squad that has a winning culture.

"As a manager you want to work at a club with good players and an opportunity to win something.

"The past has shown there is a possibility to win some trophies. I look at it as ideal."

Slot will not always have Klopp's legacy on his mind, though.

He said: "People look at us and think we only think about the tactics board but you have to think about the way you talk to the players.

"It is not about convincing them, it is part of the job to think about the best way to get the best out of them; whether to approach them as an individual or as a team.

"I don't have Jurgen Klopp in mind, thinking 'what would he say'. No. I have to get to know the players to get the maximum out of them."

Slot, however, is grateful for Klopp, who at the end of his final game in charge, rallied the Anfield crowd to sing their new coach's name.

"That was special," the Dutchman added.

"There are not many managers the fans sing for. They did for me after a few years at Feyenoord but without having worked here, the fans singing is a good start."

Ecuador have sacked head coach Felix Sanchez after their 4-2 penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina in the Copa America quarter-finals.

Kevin Rodriguez equalised in stoppage time after Lisandro Martinez's first-half opener, but Emiliano Martinez proved the hero for the Albiceleste.

Though Lionel Messi missed the opening spot-kick, the goalkeeper saved two of Ecuador's, ensuring La Tricolor were knocked out of the tournament.

Speaking after the defeat, Sanchez chose to focus on the team's achievements at the tournament.

"We managed to advance from the group stage to the knockouts," Sanchez said. "I have congratulated the players even if we weren't able to progress.

"I think they deserve the credit, that is my opinion, but I think that in the next edition of this tournament, we'll get here with a more experienced team.

"These are very young players. Maybe the results were unfair, but I know that we have to believe in this group of players."

Sanchez took over in 2023, signing a four-year contract, having previously led Qatar to the maiden Asian Cup title in 2019.

The Spaniard has been relieved of his duties despite a so far impressive run in 2026 World Cup qualifying, with the team sitting fifth above the likes of Brazil, Chile and Peru.

In a statement, Ecuador's Football Federation (FEF) said: "We thank Felix and his coaching staff for their work and professionalism and wish him success in his future endeavours."

Mikel Arteta hinted that he will sign a new contract to stay on as Arsenal manager, insisting "it will happen".

The Gunners boss sees his present deal expire in June 2025 and as yet there has been no official word on an extension.

Arteta, though, has been making plans for the upcoming season his main focus rather than his own future and remains confident his tenure as boss will continue.

Speaking to ESPN at a training camp in Marbella, Arteta said: "There is no update at the moment. 

"The thing that hasn't changed is how happy I am and how valued I feel here and how much I love representing this club.

"Things happen in a natural way and our relationship is that good that I don't predict any issues happening. But things have to develop in the right way and it will happen."

When asked whether a new contract would provide stability at Arsenal, he replied: " "I understand that but the focus now is, 'okay, how we can improve things around the team? How we can improve now the things in the transfer window that we have?' 

"We have time to sit down and discuss that."

The Gunners finished runners-up to Manchester City for the second campaign running last term, with Arsenal aiming to go one better in the Premier League this time around.

Jesse Marsch believes Canada can build something special as they prepare for their Copa America quarter-final against Venezuela.

Canada are playing in their maiden Copa America and finished second in Group A behind defending champions Argentina after a win over Peru and a draw with Chile following their opening-day defeat to Albiceleste.

They now know that beating the Group B winners will set them up for a rematch against Argentina in the semi-finals if they win on Friday.

Marsch says he knew it was going to be tough when he took the job earlier this year, but has praised the “positive” support that has spurred the team forward.

"I was thinking, 'Why did I take this job with those three opponents [coming] up?'" Marsch said. "I knew when I took the job that the schedule was going to be very difficult, and by the way – put Peru and Chile in there as well – the first five opponents I knew were going to be very difficult.

"But I thought that it would give us a chance to create really high standards for how we wanted to play and that these games would show the players that we need to uphold ourselves to very high standards. I felt that if we could execute, then we could have some success.

"There's real excitement in Canada about the team and the way we've played. That comes with, I think, a real hunger to keep this thing moving forward."

"I'll tell you: I'm glad I'm here, man. Because the people that I work with and the players that I work with, the things that we know that we can achieve together, the support that we have from inside the country, the support system for this entire national team is so positive.

"So, I think it gives us a real chance to develop something and build something and be ready for a big tournament come 2026."

Canada have done better than their 2026 World Cup co-hosts USA, who crashed out in the group stage after winning just one match in Group C.

Asked about his home country's performance at the tournament, Marsch admitted he was disappointed by what he saw.

"I'd like to say that I'm only focused on what we're doing here in Canada, but obviously, I'm paying attention to the U.S. men's national team as I always do, and like you, I'm sad," he added.

"I'm disappointed with the performances, the lack of discipline. There are a lot of things that I think we've tried to embody about the game in the U.S., and we've always believed in this group of players."

Ardie Savea is being driven by some painful memories ahead of New Zealand's home Test series against England.

The reigning World Player of the Year confessed the All Blacks got "smacked in the nose" in a 12-11 defeat in the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-finals, while their last meeting ended in a 25-25 draw at Twickenham in November 2022.

Number eight Savea is back available for New Zealand after a two-year sabbatical from playing in Japan and is itching to settle some scores in the first of the two-Test series in Dunedin on Saturday.

Speaking at the All Blacks' official season launch in Upper Hutt, in quotes reported by the Guardian, he said: "The last time we played them we drew so we've got a bit of history.

"We understand what they can bring and if we don't front up and match up it'll be a long day. 

"That’s what happened in 2019 – we got smacked in the nose and couldn’t recover. They've just played Japan and have been going really well, so we need to get together quickly and rip into things. 

"We don’t know what they’ll do this year but for us it is just about focusing on ourselves and making sure we nail it.

"It (the 2019 defeat) still stings a little bit. It's what drives me now to keep going. It's not a feeling you want to experience. 

"I don’t think it hit until the chaos died down, it took a while. But you've got to get up, learn from it and try and make sure it doesn't happen again."

England hammered Japan 52-17 in Tokyo June 22 in a warm-up for the series and Ardea acknowledged to feeling slightly uneasy, but in a good way.

He added: "I'm nervous. But nerves bring the best out of us. And it's a great challenge for myself to step forward and try and own it."

Lionel Messi was left "very angry" with his miss in Argentina's penalty shoot-out victory over Ecuador in the Copa America quarter-finals.

La Albiceleste progressed to the semi-finals after a dramatic contest at the NRG Stadium in a game where Kevin Rodriguez's injury-time leveller ensured the contest would go the distance in a 1-1 draw after Lisandro Martinez's first-half opener.

The legendary Messi was first to step up for his team but saw a dinked penalty hit the crossbar. Thankfully for the 37-year-old, Emiliano Martinez saved penalties from Angel Mena and Alan Minda as Argentina triumphed 4-2 in the shoot-out.

Speaking after the game, Messi told reporters: "I was very angry, I was convinced that I would take it like that.

"I had spoken with Dibu (Martinez), with (Geronimo) Rulli, I had taken a couple of penalties. I hadn't practised, but I spoke with them.

"I had been taking several cross-shots, in fact the goalkeeper dived for a cross-shot, I tried to touch it and it went high."

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni was quick to absolve his talisman of any blame when addressing a press conference.

"He played like the rest of the team, we are a team. This is a team, if the team played well, he played well. We have never separated the individual from the collective," he said.

Messi missed Argentina's final group game against Peru through injury but Scaloni insists that did not have an impact on his performance, adding: "Leo had a good game, in the end, they also planned a game or system where when we had the ball, two defenders came to attack, so, this is a chess game. He has had seven days away, we didn't notice the inactivity mentioned in the question."

Martinez was named Player of the Match and has now won all four of the shoot-outs he has been involved in with Argentina. The Aston Villa goalkeeper is adamant there is no luck involved with that statistic.

"I work for that, I throw myself 500 times a day in training," Martinez said.

"I try to be at my best level for the national team because the country deserves it, the people who spend their money to come and watch us."